Reckless Love (Cowboys & Angels 7)

“What’s going on? Is Harley okay?” Tripp asked.

Cord smiled. “Dude, her water broke, and her folks are taking her to the hospital.”

We stood there stunned. Not one of us saying anything.

“I called Mom and Dad back up at the house. They’re making all the calls to family, but you need to get your ass going!”

Tripp smiled and then he started jumping like a five-year-old. I’d never seen my brother act that way before. He leaned over, his hands on his knees, taking one deep breath after another.

Steed walked up to him. “Tripp? You okay?”

He shook his head. “Holy shit. Oh my God. I’m about to be a father. To twins.” Glancing up at all of us, he shouted. “Twins! What the fuck am I supposed to do with that?”

Wade leaned over and whispered, “Talk about a delayed reaction!”

I chuckled.

Steed’s face stayed neutral, and I had to hand it to him because I was fighting to hold back a laugh and to crack a joke, and I knew everyone else was as well. “You’re going to get into the truck and let us take you to the hospital. This shit can wait.”

Jonathon pulled up in his truck and honked the horn. Waylynn rolled the window down and yelled out. “Woohoo! The babies are on their way! Come on, Tripp!”

Steed helped Tripp to Jonathon’s truck. Waylynn jumped out, a look of concern on her face.

“What’s wrong, Tripp?” she asked, motioning for him to get into the front seat. I glanced back and saw Liberty in her car seat. A wide smile formed on her face, and she waved at me. I opened the back door and leaned in.

“Hey there, beautiful. You have a kiss for Uncle Trevor?”

She giggled and puckered her lips. I gave her a quick kiss while Steed and Waylynn got Tripp into the front seat. Jonathon shot me a questioning look and I laughed. “I think it all just became real to him.”

“Ahh, I see!” Jonathon said, grinning. “Poor bastard.”

“I can hear you, assholes!” Tripp said.

“Tripp Parker, do not swear! Liberty is in the truck!” Waylynn stated with a slap to Tripp’s head. Liberty giggled along with me and Jonathon.

“Bye, sweet girl,” I said, giving my niece a peck on the cheek and moving so Waylynn could get in.

“Y’all be careful driving,” Steed said as he shut the front door and I shut the back.

“We’ll be right behind y’all,” Mitchell called out from behind.

I watched as Tripp dropped his head back against the seat while Jonathon drove off.

“Poor bastard. He’s in for a ride,” Steed said with an evil laugh.

Blowing out a breath, I turned to the rest of the gang. “Let’s finish this up quickly and then head on back up to the house.”

Wade, Mitchell, and Steed looked at me like I was insane.

“You want us to finish this while our brother heads to the hospital to have babies?” Mitchell asked.

I shrugged. “What? It will take us ten minutes tops and it’s done.”

Bobby McDaniel pulled up in one of the ranch trucks and jumped out, making his way toward us.

“Let the FNG do it,” Wade said.

Bobby was a seventeen-year-old who had just started working for us on weekends.

“He can’t load all this hay by himself,” I said.

With a quick look around, Bobby’s brows pinched together. “What does FNG stand for?”

Wade chuckled and hit Bobby on the back. “Fucking New Guy, now come on and help us so we can get this finished.”

The way Bobby stood straighter and smiled made me chuckle. He seemed to like his new title.

Mitchell and Steed mumbled under their breath, but I ignored them. It would take us less than ten minutes to finish loading up this hay and then it would be done.

When the last hay bale was tossed onto the trailer, Steed wiped his forehead.

“There, finished. Now let’s head back to the house. I want to pick up Paxton before heading to the hospital.”

Mitchell walked past Steed, sniffed him and said, “Dude, take a shower. You fucking stink.”

Pushing Mitchell, Steed replied, “So do you, asshole.”

Mitchell pushed Steed again, and it quickly became a brawling match with the two of them rolling around on the ground.

Wade shook his head and walked around them while Cord and I broke up the fight.

As Wade walked past, he said, “I’ll never understand this family. Ever.”

Six hours later, the entire Parker family was sitting in the waiting room of the hospital. Scarlett had her head on my arm, sleeping peacefully. Paxton, Cord, Maebh, and Waylynn had gathered up the kids and taken them outside to the courtyard to play for a bit.

My eyes wandered over to Amelia. She sat with her hands resting on her belly as she stared at me.

“Why are you staring at me, Amelia?”

She smiled. “You look happy.”

I gave her a grin. “So do you.”